A Gentleman – Review

We don’t get a lot of Action movies in the Hindi Film Industry. I think that’s because few directors have actually caught up with the kind of action that is expected from movies these days. Films like Bahubali, Dabbang and Raees can be called action movies but they are heavily stylised and don’t look or feel real. This one knows where its place is. It doesn’t go too far in order to impress you and neither does it do too little to underwhelm you. It hits the sweet spot in the middle where it consistently entertains you.

The two very talented directors behind this movie – Raj and DK – are very good at handling variety. They’ve already given us our very own Zombie-Stoner comedy (Go Goa Gone). I’m happy to say that A Gentleman is – to say the least – a respectable Indian Action movie. We don’t see a lot of these movies often enough.

These guys are clever enough to draw inspiration from the right sources. A more informed movie-goer will see some of Edgar Wright’s editing style thrown in there along with some elements inspired by the Jason Bourne films.

This film is really well paced. It only slows down during the two song sequences which take place during the first half. These songs give you the opportunity to beat the line and grab yourself something to eat or drink before the interval.

The movie seamlessly switches between being a comedy, a romance and an action movie. None of the humour feels out of place and the action scenes are enjoyable. It’s tonally consistent and all of the various aspects of the film are really well directed.

Sidharth Malhotra pulls off this role effortlessly. His action scenes look believable and he does an overall fine job. I’d like to see him do more of this. Jacqueline Fernandez is not annoying (Achievement Unlocked!) in this movie and the movie’s writing helps her avoid the cliché of being the damsel in distress. Sunil Shetty looks cool but still can’t act. It’s not that bad because his role in the film boils down to being a guest appearance. The supporting cast is also pretty good.

I have purposely avoided talking about the plot of the movie because I feel like the less you know, the better.

Verdict

This movie isn’t great, but it’s way better than most films that are coming out these days with the younger generation of stars. The worst part of this film was the Judwaa 2 trailer that played before the movie started. And to think that Sidharth, Varun and Alia, all started their careers at the same time. It’s not hard to tell who’s doing good work and who isn’t.

Check this movie out and make sure that you take away your kids battery-lit fidget spinner before the movie begins. Don’t watch Qadi Band, wait for Lucknow Central.